Weekly Log 10-24-11 to 10-30-11

Monday: 11 miles - Rome Point trails alone.  This run was identical to the run last Monday.  I was keeping the pace easy, but my times were fast.  Perfect running weather.  Total time: 1:15:31. 

Tuesday: 13 miles - Saunderstown hilly roads 8M and Rome Point trails 5M alone.  My original plan was to run all roads, but I couldn't stomach that much pavement.  The weather was really nice, even though it was a tad windy at times.  I started getting tired only 8 miles in, but the woods helped maintain alertness.  My last mile felt great for some reason.  Total time: 1:39:37. 

Wednesday: 11 miles - Quonset Bike Path workout with Calf Pasture Point warm up/cool down.  I thought that today might be a rainy day, and I would possibly take a zero or do an easy run.  It stayed dry, so I decided to give my normal reverse ladder workout a shot.  I've run alot of miles in the last 7 days, so I wasn't going to be surprised to be a tad slow.  My warm up was just that - I was shivering in the cool air - and it was faster than usual.  I reached the bike path and began my 2 mile sprint.  I try not to look at my watch too much, but I allow a peek at the 1 mile mark - 6:02.  I felt like I was faster.  I pushed it hard the last quarter mile and finished up in 11:53 (5:51 2nd mile).  I was pleased with this.  After a 3 minute recovery, I did 1 mile.  I felt really fast at the start, slow in the middle, and fast at the end - 5:53 result.  Acceptable.  At this point I'm very tired, and I'm not looking forward to the 800.  I was able to muster a snappy finish as I passed a woman rollerblading from behind - 2:51.  Fine.  The 400 seems so short after the longer sprints, I just try to go as fast as possible and then hold on at the end as I'm usually slowing down - 78.  Good.  Overall, things went better than expected.  The cool down was filled with bird activity - an interesting colored red tail hawk, a close great blue heron, yellow rumped warblers, the first returning brant for the winter, large unidentifiable sandpipers, and crows acting like gulls in the low tide mud flats.  The workout and the miles caught up to me near the end, and I was happy to finish.  Total time: 1:21:14. 

Thursday: 0 - Muddy told me to take a day off. 

Friday: 11 miles - Rome Point trails with Dan.  48 degrees, but sunny in the middle of the afternoon.  Dan pushed the pace as he usually does for miles 2-5 and then I took over from there trying to maintain it.  We had to make a long leap over the tidal stream which was fun.  This was my fastest time on this course to date: 1:14:14. 

Saturday: 6 miles - Shumunkanuc Hill roads alone.  I ran after my wife got back from her 6 mile trail run in the morning.  The wind was really picking up, and at 38 degrees, it felt very raw out.  My plan was to do an easy, untimed run,  but the roads around my house are not easy, and I ended up running fast.  I felt strong on the hills.  After, my son helped me stack wood on our covered front stoop, before the rain began. 

Sunday: 12 miles - Shumunkanuc Hill to Arcadia roads.  I ran from my house to my in-law's in the afternoon.  My goal was to get in a decent run.  It was cold (40 degrees) and very windy.  The challenge was going to be the headwind that I would face almost the entire time on my south to north course, especially in the open areas like the turf fields.  I mapped it out online and made note of a few of the early mile markers.  This is usually a bad idea, as I end up racing myself.  This was the case again as I breezed through an easy first mile in 7:05.  The race was on, and I ran a rather hard pace the rest of the way.  Despite the head wind, I was at 21:00 at 3 miles; right about the spot my family passed me in the car, double checking I didn't want to bail and hitch a ride with them.  The wind was horrible by the high school and the turf fields, but I still hit 4 miles at 28:00.  There was shelter from the winds the next couple of miles, but I didn't know where the mileage markers were, so I had no idea if I was keeping up my effort.  I dashed through Hope Valley and then up Arcadia Road.  Again, I couldn't tell how I was doing, but my pace felt quick.  My legs finally tired of the pavement the last 3/4 of mile.  My total time was 1:21:45 (11.88 miles) for a 6:52 pace into the wind.  I was pretty happy with the effort and was able to immediately replace chromium at my in-laws. 

Overall: Strong week.  I'm working harder on normal runs hoping for a fast Lil' Rhody Runaround in a couple of weeks. 
Weekly Total: 64 miles
Last Week: 63 miles
Year to Date: 2012 miles - surpassed my year goal of 2000 this week!